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OMG Day 10 of the 15 Days of Christmas Giveaways is here!
That means there’s 6 Days left till Christmas and 5 Days left in my Giveaway
fun L

But enough whining about how I am sooo not ready for Christmas,
have a mountain of things to wrap and tons of shopping left to do…. Yeah, Christmas?
It’s not ready to happen at my house!

Alright, today I am welcoming to the blog fellow Crescent
Moon Press Author, Joanne Brothwell. Now, she’s no stranger to the blog, she’s
stopped by before, but I’ve managed to get a guest post out of her this time!

On top of a guest post from Joanne we’ll have to talk about
her fabulous book(s) and the prize she’s going to giveaway.

The super awesome prize of the Day:

1 E-copy of Stealing
Breath

The task you have to complete to enter?

Become a fan of
Joanne of Facebook

Let me introduce to you Stealing Breath!

Deep in the backwoods of North Dakota, Sarah Ross is searching for a missing child when she is attacked by a glowing-eyed, transparentcreature known to the Navajo as a Skinwalker. Using mysterious
abilities,Sarah escapes, only to run directly into Evan Valente, a handsome,charismatic stranger who helps her back to safety. But why is Evan out
inthe forest so early in the morning?

Sarah learns her eyes bear the mark of the Indigo Child, an evolved
humanwith the ability to feel the emotions of others; unfortunately, her
indigo aura is highly desirable to not only Skinwalkers, but others who wish to
steal her powerful essence.

Soon, Sarah falls deeply in love with Evan and wants nothing more than
to follow her heart, but she can't ignore the lingering feeling that Evan
is hiding a terrible secret. The deeper she digs, the more danger she faces,
forcing her to face the darkest, innermost parts of her soul.

Now, on with the guest post!!

Top Ten Mythical Creatures and Why

Ooh, I just love this topic! Mythical creatures have scared
and fascinated me my whole life and judging by the books I read (Anne Rice,
Cassandra Clare) and the television shows I watch (The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural),
I just can’t get enough of them!

I’ve chosen a few creatures from my own mythology, because
the fascination was so strong for me I ended up being so preoccupied that
eventually stories began to unfold inside my head. So, without further ado,
here is my list of my favourite creepy-crawlies:

Skinwalkers

In the Navajo culture, the Skinwalker is an evil shaman with
supernatural powers, practitioners of ‘Bad Medicine’ or dark magic; men or
women who have earned the highest level of priesthood. Once a person has locked
eyes with the glowing yellow eyes of the Skinwalker, the creature can absorb
into them and take full possession of their body. The victim loses all control
over their own behaviour, yet remains completely aware and conscious of the
possession and all of the terrible actions of the Skinwalker within them.

Why?

Skinwalkers. Even the name sounds freaky? My preoccupation
with this creature began with a true story I was told by a friend, a very
spooky story of her personal experience with a Skinwalker. Curious about the
story? You can check it out, here.

If you want to read more about Skinwalkers, check out my
novel, Stealing Breath.

Malandanti

The Malandanti (Bad Walkers) were a cult between the 16th
and 17th centuries in the Northern Italian area of Friuli. They were the
opposite of the Benandanti (Good Walkers), who claimed their witchcraft was
used only to ensure good crops. The Malandanti made no such claim.

True Malandanti are born, not made. In Malandanti newborns,
the caul (sometimes referred to as “the veil”), or amniotic sac, remains
through the birthing process. The amniotic sac is considered sacred, and the
infant is known to possess supernatural abilities. Like the Skinwalker,
Malandanti are able to take over the body of their chosen victim.

During the Inquisition, these spirit travels were compared
to the witches' Sabbath, leading to the eventual extinction of the Benandanti
cult. Between 1575 and 1675 the Benandanti were tried as heretics under the
Roman Inquisition. There is no historical reference to be found as to whether
the Malandanti were extinguished alongside the Benandanti.

Why?

The Malandanti fascinates me to no end. Did they die off
like the Benandanti? If they didn’t, do they still exist, performing evil
deeds, unbeknownst to the world? Of course the Malandanti made it into my novel
as well!

Indigo Child

The “Indigo Children” is a New Age concept, but in my book,
Stealing Breath, they have their very own mythology, some based on the New Age
concepts, some not.

Indigo is the colour of the aura, an obvious manifestation
of their healing status. This is their uncanny sensitivity, the basis for their
healing trait. They are exceptionally attractive, with startling indigo
coloured eyes.

The hallmark skill of the Indigo Child is empathy, and most
Indigo’s are able to intuitively know what others think and feel. As a result,
they are also highly attuned to any attempts at deception.

The ability to feel the emotions of others in a very real,
visceral way. Indigo Children are the manifestation of a higher level of
human evolution. The indigo hue to the aura is representative of the Indigo
chakra, the “Ajna” or “third eye” at the center of the forehead. The third eye
is associated with creativity, insight, intuition and paranormal abilities,
including being able to see spirits, ghosts and even angels.

Why?

Because. I want to be an Indigo Child!

Sapphire Child

Little is known of the Sapphire Child at this point other
than its association with the
“Vishuddha” chakra. This “throat chakra” is known as the purification centre. Sapphire
Children are the manifestation of a higher level of human evolution, associated
with enhanced discrimination, communication and self-expression. When a
Sapphire Child is connected to their Indigo Child soul mate, it is said they
are able to channel telekinesis.

Why?

I love the idea of evolved humans, those who walk among us
but are spiritually advanced.

Vampires

Former humans, these undead monsters have been infected with
a disease that requires they drink blood to stay animated. They have
supernatural abilities, and, depending on the lore, may sparkle in the
sunlight!

Why?

Vamps have long been an obsession of mine. I recall watching
a television shows about vampires when I was six years old! The idea of being
infected with a disease that turns a human into a preternatural monster
inspires my creativity. I love the idea of an undead man, living a wretched
existence for hundreds of years who stumbles upon his true love, only to
realize he can’t stop thinking about her blood and how good it would feel to
drink it. Now, he must face the ultimate choice: muster up the inner resolve to
fight off his animalistic instincts, or give in and lose his only reason for
existing. What can be more sexy than that?

Ghosts

Freaky. I’ve always been terrified of ghosts and I still am.
That is all.

Cambion

Half demon, half human, these supernatural offspring are
angelically beautiful, are seductive and very persuasive. They possess
formidable powers such as vanquishing heavenly creatures, modifying reality,
moving objects with their minds, and teleportation.

Half angel, half human, Nephilium are giants who, depending
on the lore cited, have various supernatural powers. My own personal favourite,
is the lore created by Cassandra Clare, where the Nephilium are a race made by
angels, known as “Shadowhunters” to fight demons and protect the human race.

Seraphim are mysterious angelic guardians, the word
translating as “burning ones”. They are often associated with serpents, and the
belief is that the “burning” refers to the venom. The Seraphim are of the
highest rank of Christian angelic hierarchy.

Why?

A heavenly creature associated with burning and a venomous
snake! Just wait, these freaky angels are sure to be in a future novel of mine!

Furies

In Greek mythology, Furies were known as the "the angry
ones", and in Roman mythology, they were female deities of revenge. They
represent the power of creation and regeneration which both creates and
consumes. Their purpose: to punish.

Why?

Who doesn’t like a
badass female diety whose sole purpose is to exact vengeance upon wrongdoers?

Thank you so much for having me here today, to share my
geeky fascination with mythical creatures!

Can’t get enough of Joanne Brothwell? Well, I’m pleased to
say that you can find her and her books by clicking any of the below linkys!

As you might know be now, you need to use Mr. Rafflecopter
to be entered to win today’s prize! If you’ve missed any days previous, click
on this link HERE
and you can still enter to win any days you’ve missed.